The Washington Nationals (58-70) travel to face off against the Atlanta Braves (68-59) on Friday, August 23rd. This game will be played at Truist Park in Atlanta and televised on MASN. Both team’s come into this one having won their previous games. First pitch is set for 6:20 CT.
Nationals vs. Braves Betting Prediction
- Money Line Prediction: Nationals (+222)
- Over/Under Prediction: Over 7.5 Runs
- The Nationals have scored 8 or more runs in 4 of their last 15 games.
- The Nationals have won 3 of their last 4 road games.
- The Nationals have a recent head-to-head win against the Braves, scoring 8 runs on June 9th.
- The Nationals have won 4 of their last 6 games.
- The Nationals have scored 6 or more runs in 6 of their last 15 games.
Nationals vs Braves
The Nationals Are Coming Off A Win
The Nationals’s offense was hot right out of the gates in their most recent game vs. the Rockies, closing out their series with an 8-3 win. After allowing one run to the Rockies in the top of the first, the Nationals responded with two runs of their own. Washington went on to add another six runs in the 3rd inning.
Patrick Corbin put together a good start for the Nationals, going six innings and giving up just one earned run, and picking up the win. Washington’s offense was carried by Juan Yepez, who went 1/4 with a homer and three RBIs.
Washington has a series record of 16-21-3 heading into the start of this series vs. the Braves. They are 58-70 overall this year, and they are 4th in the NL East, 16.5 games behind the Phillies. The Nationals have won two straight and are 4-6 in their last 10 games.
Against the run line, the Nationals are 72-56 overall and 38-27 on the road. As underdogs, they have a 61-44 run line record. The over/under line for today’s game is set at 7.5 runs, which is below their season average of 9 runs per game. 81.2% of their games have had higher over/under lines than today’s total.
MacKenzie Gore Gets The Start For The Nationals
Left-hander MacKenzie Gore gets the start for the Nationals today as he faces the Braves on the road. He has made 25 starts this season and has a record of 7-11 with a 4.66 ERA. Gore’s WHIP for the season is 1.58, and opponents are batting .272 off him this year. In his 25 starts, Gore has turned in five quality starts and is averaging 9.74 strikeouts per nine innings. Looking back at his recent outings, Gore has given up five earned runs in each of his last two starts and has allowed at least one homer in three straight outings.
Nationals Offense Breakdown
Washington’s offense has been one of the worst in the league in terms of home runs this season, as their 106 homers are the worst in the MLB. As a team, they are averaging 4.3 runs per game, which is 17th in the league. However, they have been swinging the bats well of late, with Keibert Ruiz hitting .290 over his last eight games, including three home runs.
Luis García Jr. and CJ Abrams have been the Nationals’ top power threats this season, with 15 and 18 homers, respectively. Garcia Jr. is also hitting .296 this season and is on a four-game hitting streak. He comes into the game as the team’s leader in RBIs, with 63.
The Braves Are Coming Off A Win
Heading into their last game vs. the Phillies, the Braves closed out the series with a 3-2 win. Leading up to the game, they were the slight favorite at -118 on the money line. Offensively, the Braves scored their three runs on 10 hits and only hit one home run.
Spencer Schwellenbach got the start for the Braves, going 6 2/3 innings, and picked up the win. He was impressive, giving up just two runs on three hits and striking out nine. The Braves also used Raisel Iglesias out of thejson bullpen, and he picked up the save.
Atlanta is 58-46 when favored, and they have won three straight games as the favorite. They have an overall series record of 22-14-5 and have won three straight series. The Braves are six games behind the Phillies in the NL East with a 68-59 record.
When the Braves are underdogs, they are 10-13 straight up and 13-10 vs. the run line. Their overall run line record is 58-69, and their games have averaged 8.2 runs this season. The under is currently on a four-game streak for the Braves, and their over/under record for games with a total of 7.5 runs is 9-14.
Chris Sale Gets The Start For The Braves
Chris Sale will be looking to build off his last outing, where he picked up the win vs. the Angels. In that outing, he went 6 innings and gave up 2 earned runs on 6 hits. Looking at his overall numbers, Sale has made 23 starts and has a record of 14-3. His ERA for the season is an impressive 2.62, along with a WHIP of .99. Opposing batters are hitting .204 off Sale this season. The left-hander has made 13 quality starts and is averaging 11.96 strikeouts per nine innings. For the year, he has 187 strikeouts, which ranks second in the league.
Braves Offense Breakdown
Marcell Ozuna has been on a tear of late for the Braves, hitting .395 over his last 10 games with two homers. For the season, he is batting .308, which is the best mark on the team. Ozuna’s 37 homers are the 3rd most in the league and the top mark for the Braves. He also has 94 RBIs, which is 4th in the MLB.
As a team, the Braves are averaging 4.3 runs per game, which is 16th in the league. They have been a better offensive team on the road this season, averaging 4.5 runs per game. Overall, they are the league’s 4th best home run-hitting team, and their isolated power of .172 is 6th in the league.
Nationals vs Braves Prediction
Given the payout, we really like the Nationals to pick up a win on the road today. We have them winning this one by a score of 5-4. With the money line payout sitting at +222, this is a great value pick.
If you’re looking for a parlay, you could look to the over/under, where the line is set at 7.5 runs. Our model has this one going over, but we would stick with the Nationals on the money line.
All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!
* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.
Last updated:August 23, 2024 Braves, Nationals